


Opposites Attract, Sometimes

by slenderman8u2



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alastor is Bad at Feelings (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor is in Hell for a Reason (Hazbin Hotel), Angel Dust Being Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Asexual Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Cajun Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), F/M, Horny Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Hurt Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Husk is So Done (Hazbin Hotel), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mental Health Issues, Mentioned Niffty (Hazbin Hotel), Mentioned Valentino (Hazbin Hotel), Mentioned Vox (Hazbin Hotel), Nice Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Protective Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Protective Husk (Hazbin Hotel), Protective Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel), Serial Killers, Soft Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Soft Husk (Hazbin Hotel), Soft Vaggie, Vaggie is So Done (Hazbin Hotel), Valentino Being a Jerk (Hazbin Hotel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:41:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23672494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slenderman8u2/pseuds/slenderman8u2
Summary: The Radio Demon, a despised figure through Vaggie's eyes. The two go on various adventures to finally mend their broken relationship as colleagues, returning the favours for each other, and arguing like any other friend would.A relationship fixed, all for the sake of one, hopeful princess.
Relationships: Alastor/Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1: Obsessive Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning to their mending. A rough start, on one end of the deal.

“The gut-wrenching, shit eating, radio host shitlord. I told her not to let him in, but she’s always in another place!” 

“Relax toots, Smiles over ‘ere brought some brighter ideas than yours. I told ya we shoulda got food first, and what does the pimp say? Let’s get some fucking food!” 

“The boomer didn’t say that, I know he didn’t-” 

“Ya get what I mean. Take a look at ‘im! He’s made Charlie smile quicker than we ever have on days like these”. 

Vaggie slouched into the couch and sighed in defeat, proving the slutty spider right. Days like these, the days where finance was plummeting and denizens are caught vandalizing the outskirts of the hotel. If that wasn’t enough, the news’ headlines really emphasized how lonely the hotel looks; broken windows, loose frames. Usually Angel attempted to cheer Charlie up by teasing and joking around, but Vaggie knew how personal Charlie took things, so she offered the princess a night out or a picnic- except they were low on finance, and unfortunately, Lucifer decided he wanted Charlie to learn how to make it. 

These days were insufferable, hard to bear through. Angel tended to wander off back to the porn studio as if he doesn’t have to contribute to anything, and the couple would sleep off the entire day with Razzle and Dazzle staying on alert, cuddling her until they maybe met the void. 

And then the days following were a little hopeful, with occasional guests stopping by, only occasionally. “There’s no alcohol! How the fuck are we supposed to cope!?” Was the first complaint. “The place is broken” was the next. And Vaggie couldn’t forget the “I’m only here for Angel, how much for a little dance?” It was everything demons wanted, but redemption was the opposite. 

And then he came. A deer dressed entirely in red, probably to cover the blood of his victims and act as if nothing was done. The Radio Demon, the most dangerous demon and Overlord living in the city, arriving at a failed business just because he’s “bored”? Vaggie didn’t buy it- who would? The voodoo master was ready to strike a deal with Charlie, but she luckily declined, which Vaggie then thought was the end of his interaction and he would leave with none of his clever deals being made here. But he stayed, even with Charlie’s stupid offer of “stay as long as you desire”. She needed to know his motives, before Charlie falls for his charms and ends up digging a deep hole for herself. 

If the clad in red is staying, Vaggie insisted that he proved his worth here. So he helped refurbish the hotel, invited two key workers who helped keep the hotel pleasant; drinks and clean sheets everyday. She disapproved of the alcohol, but it kept Angel entertained with the other guests and convinced them to stay an extra night, which was good for their finance troubles. 

Despite the hotel appearing more satisfying to the city’s public, the finance was still an issue, as was the lack of residents in the hotel. Vaggie usually dealt with the finances by working an extra job, and Charlie fights a battle against the news teams or her parents, but only one side wins everytime. Usually, it was Vaggie’s efforts that won something in the end, whilst the princess was frowned upon by everyone. 

But this time? It was a dream come true. 

Alastor didn’t even have to offer his wealth to the couple, he simply fixed the finances without their permission. Bills, taxes, supplies, everything was covered in a span of a minute. Although Vaggie was more than grateful for the generous act, she only assumed it was part of his plan to cause destruction. 

“He’s up to something, I just know it…” 

Charlie rolled her eyes and grasped Vaggie’s shoulders firmly, looking down at Vaggie with the sweetest of looks. “Vaggie, he’s doing nothing wrong. I really believe he’s just… ‘Bored’” Charlie assured. 

“No Overlord is ‘bored’ and goes to a lost- not so successful business. Hun, he’s not a prince, he’s a voodoo master!” Vaggie protested. 

“But he helped pay for everything! The place is clean, my people here and safe and happy with the bar. The only thing we need to do is advertise and organize the garden. Al’s helping us a lot, can’t we drop the idea that all Overlords are the same for a day?” 

Vaggie’s soft sigh told it all, nodding in once again, defeat. But the moth never stood a chance against the princess’s chirpy mindset towards everything, the purest smile that makes Vaggie wonder how Charlie isn’t an angel. But then remembers the days she’s one hell of a demon, it’s what makes her better. 

Vaggie was snapped out of her daze when she noticed Charlie gawking at something across the room. “Charlie?” She waved her hands in front of her face, before deciding to turn and look around also. 

“Why, I do believe our promotions are at the most excellence! Don’t you agree, ladies?” A crowd of sinners, all huddled close to each other and away from the radio host, waited in the lobby to be greeted. A range of genders, a diversity of forms, at least over 100 residents. 

“How!?” 

“With the magic of radios, of course! If you may, darling~” Alastor tilted his microphone to gesture towards the receptionist desk, which forced Charlie to scurry over and dish out room keys to everyone. 

And there he went, with the light taps of his hoof shoes trailing away to do whatever business he intended to do. Entitled son of a bitch. 

Later in the day, the moth demon was brushing her teeth whilst looking in the mirror, noticing her exhausted and stressed eyes, despite not having to do a lot of work. She usually managed basic stuff: chores, management, and the residents’ behavior. It was easier with only Angel around, but after Alastor welcomed a dozen of residents, she was driven over the edge. 

She flopped onto the bed beside the princess, curling up into the thick sheets before being welcomed into Charlie’s cuddles. “That grinny asshole…” She mumbled. 

Charlie looked down at Vaggie with a puzzled face. “What did he do?” 

“He’s kept me on edge for weeks! Ever since he came here, I’ve had this dark feeling… He may be powerful and on our side, but I don’t feel safe around him.” 

“And how can we change that?” Her partner asked, lifting Vaggie’s chin to reveal her soft smile. “Let’s sleep it off, then I’ll make us hot cocoa in the morning. Deal~?” 

“You know it’s a deal” Vaggie grinned, snuggling up to Charlie’s chest to doze off into sleep. 

_“Morning, hun!”_

_“I made us the hot cocoa, just as promised~” The moth tracked down the steps and into the kitchen, too tired to look anywhere else but the hot cocoa. Steamy hot, chocolate scent, a mountain of cream and cherries._

_She finally lifted her head to look straight into the princess’s eyes, imagining the childish imagination roaming inside her mind._

_Wait, when were her eyes… Red? And her hair is… Red…_

_Vaggie focused on fixing her dreamy vision, zoning in on an illuminating deer in front of her, standing over a stove and idly stirring something in the pot. A long, strawberry coloured apron was fitted around his waist and neck, followed by a casual set of clothing but the same classy shoes._

_“You-”_

_“Oh good morning, my dear!” The fucker greeted, grin wider than ever and eyes glowing with mischief._

_“Where’s Charlie!?” Vaggie jumped off the stool and grasped onto a nearby knife, after assuming she wouldn’t need her spear for breakfast. But oh she was desperate for it right now._

_Alastor simply shrugged, making his way around the kitchen’s island to stand tall and proud over Vaggie. “Perhaps she vanished into the void. Wouldn’t that be a show!”_

_“Don’t fucking joke about that, asshole! Charlie!” She called out frantically, dropping the knife to escape the kitchen, and the proximity from the radiohost. The moment she left the room, the whole lobby had deserted into nothing, as if within a blink of an eye, they were gone completely._

_“Nobody’s here to stop me. Not even you, cher~”_

_A hand landed on her shoulder, bony and topped off with red nails. Whilst the other grasped her waist hard, threateningly hard. Unable to turn around, her breath hitched to feel the Radio Demon’s breath against her head, intimidating her further._

_“Get your hands off me…”_

_“Why so ever the rush? I’ve found you quite interesting, if you wouldn’t mind me sharing~”_

_“I mind very fucking much!” She snapped, stabbing her heel into his shoes. But only she received the pain, after recalling his stupid deer hooves feature. She hissed as she stumbled away, hopeful for a second that she escaped death’s hold on her, but the opponent appeared behind her again, trapping her in his firm grasp._

_A spine chilling chuckle came out of his lips, and what followed next fired off the alarms for good. “Moths adore the light, do they not?”_

_Vaggie swallowed the bile in her throat, partially from the overwhelming cologne the deer wore. The pressure was on. “What the hell are you implying…”_

_Another sinister chuckle escaped his lips, answering her question fully. A lamp from across the lobby switched on, and then another that darted her attention over there. Rapidly, so many lamps turned on that the whole room was filled with an amber tint. But nothing more happened, despite anticipating death._

_“What I’m trying to convey is… Perhaps I can provide you with that light?”_

_‘No… He wouldn’t-’ She knew the 1930s jazz guy didn’t favour sex, nor did he understand some of the things Angel or her mentioned. But her modern age brain could only comprehend a few things: sex, or death._

_His sharp nails trailed down her thighs, moving ever so carefully up her dress. His hips closed in on the space between her dress and his trousers, which were now pressing uncomfortably tight against her. His lips, whispering like the devil with no static battling his voice this time._

_“Charlie!” Vaggie called out one more time. She preferred death, always death, never anything more or less in these situations other than death._

_And she spoke too soon, once his grip loosened and she backed away to turn back at the man in red. His eyes were ticking back and forth with radio dials, his antlers reached as high as the ceiling, and his skeleton shape almost resembled a wendigo._

_His grin remained toothy and sharp, frightening in every way. The moment he spoke, static burst into the air again as he spiraled out of control. “Charlie’s not here. But I am… Just for you.”_

_“Charlie!”_

__“Vaggie…?”_ _

__Vaggie’s eyes snapped open, as her heart beated as if in a race or marathon. “Charlie…” She panted, loosening her grip on Charlie’s nightshirt. She exhaled, relieved to see the golden locks of her lover, with the bright, concerned, soft eyes staring down at her._ _

__“What happened, Vaggie?” The princess asked gently, soothing her with her fingers running through the grey hair. Comfort and silence, that was the dream she really wanted._ _

__“I think I need a drink first…Juice or milk?” Vaggie asked, a slight smile on her face as she returned the same comfort._ _

__Charlie reflected the smile and laid back down in the sheets. “Milk please, then we can talk. Please?”_ _

__“Fine” Vaggie finished, never winning over that smile. The moment she left the room however, a distant sound of static and music was heard through the hallways. Was this still her nightmare? Even so, it was one she never had before._ _

__She dreamt of the demon sneaking into her room at times, planting traps and installing bright bulbs everywhere. In other dreams, he sabotaged their picnic or danced with Charlie instead of Vaggie, ruining their perfect date. But rape? Murder? It was a sign, she knew it must be._ _

__She took cautious steps towards the flight of stairs, carefully trekking down them. When she peeked around the corner, a light shun out the rest of the hallway as it appeared open. But the more she adjusted her vision, she recognized the room number as none other than… Him. The Radio Demon._ _

__No, it’s still a dream… Water will fix this, and a talk with Charlie too. Vaggie went into the kitchen and out with two glasses in her hand, one of milk, and the other of water. She took a sip, then another, refreshing her mind from unbelievable._ _

__Vaggie decided to take the stairs despite how exhausted she was, but stopped at the top of the first flight of stairs. The light was still there, faint music was heard, as so was the popular static he always emitted._ _

__This isn’t a dream._ _

__She peered down the hallway to read the dimmed clock. 4 AM!? Why the hell was he awake? As far as she knew, everyone was out by 2 AM by most. “If I even dare go in and ask…”_ _

__“Come in, darling!”_ _

__‘Asshole…’_ _

__Vaggie peeked around the frame, adjusting to the bright light compared to her dark bedroom. There he was, the almighty Radio Demon… filling out forms?_ _

__“Why are you up this late?” She asked, mid yawn._ _

__The radiohost looked down at his paperwork, and then back towards Vaggie. “I’ve come to the conclusion that you and Charlie are stressed. So I thought to myself, if I have such an empty schedule, why not chime in and help out!”_ _

__‘Charlie’s paperwork…? Me and Charlie-’_ _

__“Why do you care…” She sighed, entering after remembering his granted permission. She seated herself shyly on one of the hotel’s couches, placed in every room just for the aesthetic. But she never really knew how comfortable they were._ _

__“I believe I work here now. Why, wouldn’t that be an awkward situation we find ourselves in! Belonging in a place we don’t actually belong!” The chirpy Overlord laughed, finally turning his desk chair to direct his attention towards his visitor. “What brought you to the awakening at 4 AM?”_ _

__“Well…” She looked up with the most minimized confidence, staring straight into his eyes, battling her nightmare._ _

__‘And I thought I was tired…’ Alastor wore heavy, deep bags under his eyes, which were already half-lidded from how late it was. His posture was slacking, his hair was scruffy, and his smile was more forced than ever. The creased second layer of his clothing was pressed against a chair that must’ve held him for a good few hours now, and for supposed comfort, his coat was hung on the back of it for slight cushioning in case his back did crumble. Her attention redirected onto the desk, seeing stacks and stacks of paperwork finished. To her convenient timing, only a few papers were left to be completed, seemingly complaints and questions from the outside._ _

__In some ways, this side of Alastor was relaxing to Vaggie, ensuring her that he stood no chance if he was in a state like this. But he was a colleague, she had to lighten up to that fact and pity him for the masses of work he completed, in one sitting too._ _

__“...You look like shit”, was all that came out of her mouth, but she bit her tongue with regret of blurting it aloud._ _

__She even swore she heard a sad grumble from the deer demon. “Much appreciated, dear.”_ _

__“I’m sorry... “ She sighed, “It’s been hard accepting who you are, and also getting used to you… I just want to protect Charlie at all costs, no matter who it is.”_ _

__“But that’s not the reason you’re awake, is it?” He caught onto her ramble. Nightmares are nightmares, she could only hope he wouldn’t take too much offense._ _

__“In my dream, you were making me a hot drink... It escalated, so much that you were holding me against you-” She lifted her eyes to catch onto her reaction. And her heart already sank._ _

__His ears were perked up with interest, but his eyes were both tired and astounded to the revealing information. It was as though she was retelling a crime. “-And then you almost killed me, but I woke up. Listen, Al, I know that’s not the person you are.”_ _

__But the tension was already strong in the room, as well as awkwardness. Sitting in the room with her enemy, but talking as if they are friends, as late as 4 AM. ‘Say something, you always say something!’_ _

__And thank fuck he did. “That surely is a shocking nightmare. Tomorrow onward, let’s try and mend our little disagreements, deal?” He held out his hand, shaking from his fatigue._ _

__“You look too tired to make a deal” Vaggie teased, but it was a good excuse to get out of the deal. “I guess we can try. Charlie’s organized a mini party tomorrow, so let’s start there.”_ _

__Alastor nodded with a less forced smile and a more gentle one. “Then it is settled.” Was all he said, before lifting his hand to finish the last few forms. But it was still too much in the moth’s eyes._ _

__“Drop it old man, or I’ll snitch on you again”._ _

__Alastor groaned and dropped his head onto the desk, allowing the pen to roll off the desk as he relaxed into slumber. “As you always do dear…”_ _

__Sleepy Alastor was the best._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an introduction to the new fanfic I'll be updating! 
> 
> Every Wednesday and Saturday will be a new update, so you guys earn two chapters per week. This may depend on how I am in terms of health, but I'm ready to stick to a schedule and get back into the run of things!
> 
> This fanfic is not a Vaggie and Alastor couples relationship, it is merely friendship. This is because I've been interested in the dynamics between the two, and always imagine how they help each other out. I did have another plot idea for this, but this may come later in the fanfic potentially, as a little secret. It may be obvious, it may not be. 
> 
> Thank you for all the support I've had on other fanfics! Make sure to check them out if you haven't, as I'll do my best to produce as much and a lot of quality pieces of work. I enjoy writing fanfics for endless reasons, but I also love receiving ideas for future chapters. If you have any ideas for the two, make sure to state them below!
> 
> But other than that, thank you! And good luck on the rest of the journey. ;)  
> (please excuse my attempt at writing Vaggie, I tried taking on her tone a little bit compared to the tones I use in other fanfics, mainly because she's the most modern one out of the rest of them).


	2. Chapter 2: The Grand Ball (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day arrives for the all-crazy party Charlie's hyped everyone up about. Everyone arrives safely, dressed up perfectly, some differently to others. 
> 
> Will a dance with Vaggie's all-time enemy go as smoothly as Charlie plans it to be? 
> 
> Or will she do something she'll regret. 
> 
> Crazy things happen at parties...

This was not Vaggie imagined. 

What she expected was a classically-decorated lobby, guests dressed in ballgowns and booze being served left and right, was instead an empty lobby that still looked slightly run down. The deserted bar with pristine glasses, an illuminating light waiting at the receptionist desk. Chairs, couches, tables, all immaculately dusted and cleaned thanks to their new maid Niffty, but Vaggie’s only eye still spotted a few missed spots here and there. 

Now that she realized Niffty missed a spot, where was she? In fact, where was everyone? The demon looked around cluelessly with her trust spear in her hands, ready to strike if anyone tried something on her. But another reason she brought it was to protect Charlie at the party, so where was she? 

She even went through the effort to dress up for once- it was a challenge even finding her own classical taste. As the party was picked to be fancy and expensive, obviously decided by the radio shitlord, Charlie and Vaggie shopped around for hours to find the perfect dresses. 

One side of the dress was longer than the other at the ends of the dress, flaring at the bottom and tight at the waist. The straps to her dress wrapped around her shoulders, yet it was adequately fitted to her chest. The overall colour was a dark grey, but it faded down into a lighter grey at the flaring section, as the straps were a combination of red and pink to fit the cross on her left eye. Strangely enough, it was closely similar towards the one Alastor formed on her, when he first arrived here and suddenly changed everyone’s outfits. 

To top it all off, her hair was wavy and as long as the dress, styled to still cover her eye but expose the other. The overall aesthetic spoke her origins, it was something Vaggie didn’t mind at all. 

But the outfit change was made for one only purpose: Charlie. Where the hell is everyone? 

“Over here, Vaggie!” A voice called from the lobby’s entrance. A dazzling, “Charming Demon Belle” as Alastor calls her. Her golden locks were still tied back at the bottom, but it was all for good reason. It exposed her strapless dress and neck, showing an adorable bow in the centre of it. Then her dress flowed back at the bottom like Vaggie’s, the same red and pink colour as Vaggie’s straps at the front of her dress; whilst the rest was pure white. 

Vaggie hurried down the stairs with her spear in hand, rushing towards the princess after being called a few more times. “Where’s the party? I thought we were having it here.” 

Charlie glanced up and down Vaggie’s dress in the same love struck moment, before responding to her lover. “Well… Al decided the place was too small, so he hired the local hall for us!” 

“...Local hall?” 

“It’s massive! Fancy, big chandelier, golden all around. It’s like a palace, and it’s all paid by Al!” Charlie excitedly recited, already rushing Vaggie out the hotel’s doors and down into their car. The car was only reserved for the two, but the princess was worried about how the others would get there. 

“Of course he did that…” No doubt was Vaggie grateful for Al’s help, hiring the hall just for them and the richer denizens of Hell. But it was still all too suspicious, as if sugar coating Charlie just to get closer to his plans. 

Vaggie betted it on one thing: Lucifer. The closest anyone could get to Lucifer would either being an Overlord, or being close to Charlie. If Alastor convinced Charlie to do anything, he could stand right next to Lucifer’s throne. And if he got even further than that, Vaggie swore- 

“Vaggie?” Charlie waved in front of Vaggie’s face, frowning to the lack of attention. “I know what you’re thinking, but you’re banned from thinking about that tonight.” 

“Banned? I don’t think that’s how it works-” 

“My rules! I even have Al on a leash~” 

Vaggie choked just on those words. “Hun, don’t say that again…” 

The hotel was intentionally located in the centre of the city to attract more demons towards it, but that also meant a few more things. They were closer to Valentino’s porn studio, making it easy for Angel to escape chores and work an extra shift instead- which the spider found way more exciting somehow. There were numerous bars and restaurants around, including Mimzy’s place for Alastor or Husk to waltz off to and escape also. And then there’s the grand hall, holding events such as Valentino’s annual parties, Alastor’s murder sprees, or shows. Sometimes it held private parties, sometimes local expensive ones like their own. 

Due to this, they arrived no more than under 10 minutes. Once they stepped out of their car, they were met by paparazzi, the less fortunate and poorer demons of Hell, and news reporters seeking out just for company fame. Charlie and Vaggie were too used to it whenever Lucifer invented them for events. 

And after a constant flash in the eyes from the cameras, the two were relieved to find themselves in a comforting warmth, with calmer lights daunting down on them. “I’ll never get used to that” Vaggie joked with a chuckle. 

Charlie laughed with her. “Not even I will.” 

The two linked hands and exchanged loving smiles, before turning to the beauty everyone wastes their money on, but it was worth it according to most demons. The hall was twice larger than the hotel’s lobby in both height and width, carefully crafted to appear like a fairytale. A golden chandelier hung from a dome in the ceiling, crystals surrounding the small bulbs that alit the entire room. The ceiling was a pale, creamy colour, decorated with sweet caramel patterns that complimented the golden theme well. Then the caramel colour spread to the arches between each pillar, reaching all the way around the room to halt at the double glass doors; leading somewhere probably even richer than the hall, nobody knew. The windows were held high for the hellish sky to glaze the floor inside, which in itself was a manipulative chocolate brown, glossed with the light’s perfect reflection. Every pillar came with a lamp hanging off the wall, slightly modernized compared to the candles back in Charlie’s days, but it still maintained the same amber tint. 

The hall was perfect in its charming ways, as it was clean and indestructible against every guest’s shoes. Whether they paid to dance into the party, or were invited, everyone was dressed in a rainbow of colours. Blue and turquoise, black and white, green and yellow, it was a forest of bedazzling demons. 

It was almost too hard to find any of their employees and their first resident, but they were seemingly far more noticeable than the rest when they heard a famous, cartoony voice calling behind them. 

“‘Bout time ya arrived! Lookin’ happy as ever princess~” The two turned to the Italian spider, and their jaws dropped in disbelief. 

Of course, Angel arrived and made a mini reputation for himself: the sluttiest guest here. His wig was wild and puffy, blonde like his sister Molly’s, as it reached down to an average height despite the exaggerated width of it. His eyeshadow as a deep purple, with thick black eyelashes and eyeliner that accompanied his purple lips. He wore pink gloves that extended from elbow to fingertips, reaching up to pat his poofy chest; which poured out from the V-neck dress. The dress itself started with a deep purple at the top, but slowly transformed into light pink and white, except the inside was the same shade of purple. But nothing made Angel more Angel than the long, exposing slit, leading all the way up to the top of his thigh to expose one of his legs; which was topped off with high-heel boots. 

“Whatcha think, ladies~?” 

“Angel, this is a fancy party!” Vaggie stressed to him. But then decided to point the obvious out. “Isn’t that your drag outfit?” 

“Hey, don’t expose me like that! Nobody lent me anythin’, so I did some improvising and… Walah!” The spider laughed and held his chest again, overpouring so much that they began to gain a crowd of eager demons. 

Charlie quickly danced their way out of Angel’s prostitute business and sighed with a gentle smile. “It’s fine, Vaggie. All that matters is he made it here, now we just need to find the others-” 

“Good evening Charlie!” 

The two looked down to a tiny, young woman, who they assumed was a child at first until they looked deeper. Niffty was dressed with a simple dress reaching her toes, a pale purple colour and a large, pink bow tying her waist. The top was a lighter shade of purple, dotted with pink like her pink hair; which was now tied back into a bun, her single gold strand poking out more clearly than before. 

Charlie was too busy adoring the little body to notice Niffty’s womanly figure; chest, hips, it was a surprise to Vaggie. 

“You made it too! But… How?” Charlie asked, not recalling that Niffty could ever get around. 

“Alastor shared his ride with me, so we arrived early. It’s nice to see some men here!” Niffty commented, gesturing around with a worrying look in her eyes. Hunger. 

The two watched as she vanished into the crowd, almost forgetting her constant talk of men. 

“Not so innocent after all” Vaggie remarked, resting an arm around Charlie’s waist as the princess held her close. 

“Let’s pretend we never saw her this way-” Charlie paused mid comment to stare across the hall with childish excitement in her eyes. 

‘Now what!?’ “Don’t tell me-” 

“Husker!” Charlie called from afar, running and jumping her way over the crowd to reach the drinking feline. 

After trying to get across also, Vaggie came face to face with something she immediately took a photo of. Husk still wore his same tophat, but he also wore a dark open jacket, exposing a white shirt underneath and his fluffy, cat chest poking out through the gaps and collar. The rest was simple, with plain dark trousers to the look and classy shoes, but it was still a sight to see instead of his confident, cat body. And it was definitely Alastor’s doing, as with one simple step forward, the two could smell a huge gust of expensive cologne on him. 

“Aw-” 

“Don’t. Ask. The fucker dragged me here, this wasn’t and won’t be me anytime soon…” Husk jumped to the conclusion, taking another swing at his booze. 

Vaggie cracked a cheeky smirk. “Too bad, I have it in my phone.” 

“Delete that, now!” 

“My phone, my rules~” 

“You didn’t get my fucking permission!” 

The two battled back and forth, but eventually Husk won and Vaggie “deleted” the photo. In reality, she shared it with Angel before proving that the picture was gone. The cat went on about how Alastor shared his ride with Niffty and him, offering a load of booze and cigars to keep the cat interested. Then when they arrived, the deer disappeared inside and left the two alone in the empty hall. 

“Been here for a long ass time…” 

“Where is that creep anyway?” Vaggie asked, deciding to look around as she asked. 

“Why the hell should I care? The rich fuck probably went to mingle with Rosie…” 

Oh no he wasn’t. The radiohost was dancing with Charlie in the middle of the hall, standing out amongst the crowd with his outfit change, and because he was dancing with the devil’s daughter. 

The deer held a tophat between his fluffy, red ears, with a red bad crossing at the bottom of the hat. But that wasn’t the only part that was red, why would it be? For once, Vaggie assumed the demon would change his style for the party, but the sense of voodoo and power was still there, red and black as always. His jacket was a dark crimson as the cuffs were as red as his bowtie. The shirt may have been white, but it didn’t stop the red belt stable above his trousers; which were a raven black colour. 

He dared to hold Charlie’s hands and waist, tucking her close to his body as they waltz around the shimmering floor. 

Ready for a fight, Vaggie pointed her spear forward and marched over in her firm heels, pushing and shoving her way through. But the two already noticed her making her way through, deciding to meet her midway. 

“Why it is marvelous to see you out of that edgy outfit, I must agree!” The fucker greeted, bending down to what she assumed was mocking her height, but he instead fell to one knee and held his hand out. “Charlie suggested we dance, and we ought not to displease the dark king’s child, _si~? _”__

__“Are you speaking… Spanish!?” Vaggie asked in a whole new rage, tempted to raise her hand up and slap him instead. But one simple glance at Charlie forced her to take his hand; watching him flinch at the touch didn’t help their situation too._ _

__“Thanks Vaggie! It really means a lot, you two being friends” Charlie appreciated._ _

__“Oh, thank you dear-”_ _

__“Now smile!” A sudden flash of the camera made the deer freeze, both to the uncomfortable moment and the flash of light reaching him. As for Vaggie, she forced a smile on her lips and squeezed her hand against Alastor’s red gloves, despising him ever so more than before._ _

__“I’ll check on you both after the dance! I’ll be watching you two~”_ _

__The princess danced away for a meet and greet with other famous sinners, though she wasn’t lying about watching the two. The moment they left each other’s grip, they pushed themselves together like a lego brick when the princess’s eyes snapped back at them, a threatening glare on her features._ _

__“Well shit…”_ _

__“You really feel it’s necessary to use profanity?” Alastor sighed through his grin, moving his right shoe forward as Vaggie defensively took a step back. And like that, the two started the most depressing dance in their lives._ _

__“It’s a crappy situation, dancing with you…” Vaggie complained in a murmur, keeping her eyes low to stare anywhere other than the shitlord’s face._ _

__Alastor laughed aloud, finally gaining some courage to hold Vaggie’s waist carefully, whilst both of their hands connected far from their bodies. On one side of the war, every breath Vaggie inhaled was the smell of really expensive cologne, with a touch of old to it. It wasn’t a discomforting smell, but even so, she still despised everything about the Overlord._ _

__As for Alastor, he continued to accidentally touch his chest with her chin; he was more of a professional, as was Charlie, but Vaggie could only dance at a decent standard. The deer brought it down to a few reasons: dances are going out of style compared to the old days, or the situation was so uncomfortable for her, she couldn’t focus. It was time to make her focus, lighten the tension between them._ _

__“I assume you two have marvelous plans for the weekend, yes?” Alastor asked, eyes finally being met by the less confident partner. Vaggie’s eyes looked up suspiciously, but only noticed the kind, slightly bored doe eyes._ _

__“Maybe,” she exhaled all the stress out of her. The talk was surely working. “We’re planning to eat out somewhere, now that money’s finally coming in. Thanks, by the way…”_ _

__“You’re welcome darling, very much” Alastor was quick to respond, his smile a lot more gentle. The moth sighed again, quickly judging her post-thoughts to dancing with the deer demon._ _

__She maintained her gaze with his, the two now starting to dance more swifter than the beginning. Staring into the eyes many dread of, but also many fall in love with in moments like these. Even so, Vaggie could still remember the ticking dials in those eyes, the nightmare too unbearable to forget._ _

__“...What about you? Let me guess, killing?”_ _

__Alastor laughed at the assumption. “Correct! I have some business to attend to. Perhaps I’ll visit someone special-”_ _

__“Girlfriend?”_ _

__“My mother, dear” Alastor narrowed his eyes, briefly looking at a smug smirk Vaggie wore. “Must you always jump to the answers? Let the answers find you~” Alastor smirked back, suddenly twirling Vaggie around against her will before taking her waist into his hands again, dancing away in a tango-like style. Once in a new spot, despite still in the princess’s hawk view, Vaggie intentionally stepped on Alastor’s hoove shoes after his little stunt._ _

__“You’re so controlling, no wonder you haven’t laid eyes on anyone- nobody’s laid eyes on you!” Vaggie barked, gritting her teeth as she glared into the Radio Demon’s smug expression._ _

__Before she could react or comment before, he bent her down into the cliche tango pose, so that she was left hanging with her hands around his neck and his hand rested under her back. “I’ll take it as a compliment. Thank you, cher~”_ _

__“Put me back upright, now!” Vaggie whispered aggressively, digging her nails into his neck._ _

__Alastor nodded curtly, lifting her back up and pulling her close to his broad chest. “But if I decided to assume one thing, it’s that you’re excessively defensive. Tell me, is it a bad past? I highly doubt it’s all my work- but I’m very much obliged to continue if it means putting someone on edge…”_ _

__Vaggie changed the spear’s position so it would poke into Alastor’s neck threateningly from behind, making it seem as though she’s simply holding it against his back as her hand is there._ _

__“You want us to be friends, right? I wouldn’t dare go down my past life, you son of a bitch…”_ _

__“Why, I am a son of a bitch!” His laughter emitted through the usual radio static, summoning background laughter to emphasize the hilarious joke._ _

__She couldn’t take it anymore, too ready to end this little charade of theirs and to reunite back with Charlie. She schemed deeply about what she was going to do, thinking carefully about her words. If she harmed Alastor in the slightest, her head could be hanging along the sides of his tower. And if she was too soft? Humiliated until an angel grabs ahold of her._ _

__No, screw going light, the asshole’s going too far and taking advantage of the situation, and Vaggie wasn’t going to be his doll for longer._ _

__“What is she, a whore?” Vaggie snorted. Sure, it was a typical comeback in the modern days, sometimes affecting the other but other times, barely._ _

__But the second Alastor’s grin turned upside down for a good long, few seconds, her heart skipped a beat. ‘I forgot he’s old…’_ _

__“Excuse me, I… Pardon me” Alastor departed their bodies and rushed away, summoning his microphone and escaping too quickly through the crowd, still with a forced smile in his face after the long pause in his frown. Her mind ran over that moment; tears immediately shredding in his big doe eyes, too innocent to hear that joke, clearly. Furthermore, she remembered the constant mentions of Al’s mother on a daily basis, jumping from cooking to cleaning, to manners, and their famous cannibalism reputation._ _

__Alastor’s mother was the most important figure in his life, and was the woman he was visiting this weekend, or that was what he informed Vaggie._ _

__His expression changed so fast, it reminded Vaggie of a broken animated character, the usually goofy cartoon kids see on the TV, now a broken mirror. And she couldn’t lie when she confessed her heart broke hard inside._ _

__Shit..._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I was supposed to post a chapter yesterday, I found myself in a busy situation so I postponed it for today. The next chapter should still be Wednesday. There's a 2 day break (today would've been but I couldn't post yesterday) because I need time to build on my ideas and find inspiration, to make it all flow smoothly rather than forcing something out there instead of being passionate. 
> 
> This chapter was inspired by the Mr & Mrs Smith tango scene, amazing movie. It didn't do as cheeky and close as they did, but the overall idea of having a ball and a dance originated from that.
> 
> Thank you so far for your attention! Stay tuned~.


	3. Chapter 2: The Grand Ball (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last part of the party takes off as a friendship moment between Husk and Alastor, proving that all Overlords need someone there with them.
> 
> But an attempt to mend something that was deemed impossible at the start, 
> 
> Has now turned into a tragic ending for two certain individuals that day.

The crowd of demons swallowed Alastor’s identity, dancing across the hall in a compacted space. Vaggie never paid attention to the amount of wealthy denizens there were in the city, nor did she expect so many demons to turn up to the Radio Demon’s party with such excitement. 

Alastor’s deer ears vanished from sight, disappearing into the direction of what she could assume was the restrooms; leaving the party too soon would cause a great deal of suspicion, especially for the princess. 

Mentioning the princess always brought back her partner’s high expectations off everybody. How everyone should stay at the party until all the guests leave, act like a Disney princess, grow into an angel’s persona even if bowing on one knee to the devil. 

With this being said, there’s no doubt that Alastor is heading for the restrooms, seeming as he wasn’t expected to leave early; expected, not permitted like the rest of them. Charlie was too paranoid pissing off the Radio Demon, even if she was likely more powerful than the radio host. 

But who to send after him to check on him? Vaggie couldn’t go in herself, due to the respectful reasons and for her own personal reasons. 

Although Angel wouldn’t be a bad choice, if Alastor planned to kill anyone who walked in on him, the Overlord would feel no remorse for killing the spider, especially with all the “innuendos” as he calls them. 

After predicting such a thing, the answer was more than obvious: Husk. 

The feline was backed up against a wall, downing at least his 30th drink by now, drooling the alcohol onto his pricey shirt. The moth made a move, weaving through the thick cloud of sin and holding a fist against her nose, blocking out the infectious scent of alcohol and perfume combined. 

The sun arose in the middle as if dividing the contaminated waters, providing a clear, clean path for Vaggie. The closer she got, the quicker she realized that it was Charlie who managed to pull her out of the crowd. 

“How was the dance!?” She asked ecstatically, pulling her partner aside to hear the gossip. Husk was just behind her, as although she’d waste any limited moment just for her girl, a highly dangerous was possibly murdering, eating, weeping in the men's restrooms. 

“Better than I expected, you were right” Vaggie gave her a soft smile, even if it wasn’t entirely the truth. Holding hands with the Radio Demon, linking their bodies together and fitting in the wrong places, the small conversation at the beginning wasn’t too discouraging. To also dance with a gentleman was refreshing to her, as Alastor moved carefully with her body, rather than tossing her around like a ragdoll. 

Besides, the lie was worth it. Charlie’s face lit up like a legitimate sun, beaming and glowing big enough to melt Vaggie’s heart. “That’s great to hear! But um… Where is he?” The princess asked mid turning her head around, scanning the hall for the red man. 

Without a second to pause and think, she turned Charlie away from the many people and brought her closer to Husk, caressing her hands assuringly. “He’s in the restrooms, too much booze I bet. Maybe Husk should check on him?” 

“Why me?” Husk groaned and sunk lower against the wall, but his balance was stable as was his concentrated gaze on Vaggie. 

The moth delivered him a look of earnest, a desperate plea in her eyes. It sparked an immediate reaction out of the cat, who decided to lift himself off the wall and settle his booze aside. “Sure thing” Husk answered without question, knowing that the dance didn’t go as dandy as Vaggie described it as. 

With the princess distracted by her lover, the feline slithered through the crowds like the flexible feline he is, reaching the restrooms after a few rousey women catcalled him. 

“Meow, pussycat~” 

“Fuck off”, was all Husk threw back. 

Now, was it a bad idea to just walk in there? From past experiences, Alastor tended to like his own space, so he either threw everyone out of the restrooms or committed a common murder. Overlords and their reputations, it drove Husk mad to how far one would go with it. For Alastor, it was quite far. 

On one hand, he could knock and call through the door like a parent cooing out their child. On the other hand, the band was blasting its jazz music into the audience, silencing Husk’s assuring voice. 

Before he pressed his hand against the door, paranoid men surrounded the cat and begged him not to go in, even if his life meant nothing to them. To walk in with no fear would mean one and only one thing to Alastor: that he was a close ally, and everyone would come after Husk if anyone knew. The cat had to be clever about this. 

“There ain’t no Radio Demon in there, he’s probably left by now” Husk shrugged to the men. 

“But he looked right pissed, even killed a few men in there!” 

Great, so Husk was about to walk into a bloodbath. 

“You can bet my ass he’s in there, because I need a piss and I’m not being catcalled no more by the ladies. Beat it” the cat defended his need to “piss”, which to his relief was bought and the men left the area. 

The restroom door swung open with an echoing, screech sound, disturbing the fewer sounds he could hear. Before peeking around the corner, he listened for a few seconds with precaution to listen out for cues. The dripping sound that was most likely from the slaughtered corpses, hanging off a counter or a stall. Then a tap came on at the sinks, washing away at what he hoped was not a weapon. And then… weeping? 

Sure enough, when Husk peeked around and analyzed the figure in front of the mirror, the deer was leaning over the sink with blood stained all over his clothes and skin, but that wasn’t the only stain he saw. 

Alastor jumped when Husk stepped forward against the tiles, escalating into turning around and staring straight into his friend’s eyes. 

From Husk’s view, there were tears racing off his cheeks like a faucet, unable to turn it off even if someone stood in front of him. The demon knew full well that Husk could spill the secret, even if it meant death, it would ruin Alastor’s reputation for the rest of his eternal life. 

That’s not the character Husk zipped up when he landed in Hell, and not what he planned to do with Alastor. Instead, he wanted to finish the deed Vaggie started, wrap it up harmlessly and beg Charlie to whisk the deer out of the party early. ‘Stubborn, spoilt princesses’. 

“W...W-Why are you here?” Alastor asked with his croaky, shaking voice, the static and background noise empty from inside. 

Emotional Alastor, a rare sight, but a sight Husk has caught before. With changes in Alastor’s hellish life, he assumed that the deer brought himself back onto his feet again and would never suffer such a breakdown, especially after an incident decades ago. 

His eyes were stained with dried tears, yet with the consistent fresh tears polishing the old ones, the stains would only get worse. Blood mixed with water, splashing against his always pristine outfit. All of his clothes were infected with the result of anger and instability, but it wasn’t until Husk’s eyes wandered lower that he noticed the knife in his tightly curled fist, shaking manifestly; as if wondering whether to kill Husk or go on a rampage, there were enough people for several broadcasts. 

The sight tore a string at his heart, a snapped violin that couldn’t play a pleasant impression. Husk’s own throat ached with pain and pity, sympathetic towards the frowning deer. The fact Alastor was frowning would have made Husk deeply sad, but for the strong, mostly independent, always optimistic Overlord amongst the rest, to be crying? 

At the moment, Alastor was a cartoon character waiting to be snapped in half. The vulnerable, thin stick that children pick up and throw around, until snapping it intentionally or stepping on it. He was the positive reflection of everyone, and is now the shattered mirror that can no longer help anyone. Although he seemed like a precious doll in a state like this, he was also a ticking bomb that could go off at any moment, considering his abnormal power. 

Hell, Husk couldn’t tear his gaze away from the crying clad, and continued to stare as long as it took for Alastor to look away shamefully. “Please leave…” 

“What the hell happened to you…?” Husk asked softly, deciding to take a lighter approach. Each paw travelled a little distance at a time, but his eyes were glued to Alastor’s in case there was a sense of lost trust. 

The Radio Demon stared straight back, initially feeling like prey to a predator, but gradually fell into his trusty presence and walked towards his friend comfortably, tossing the knife into the sink after making his decision. 

“I was dancing with Vaggie… The gal was fine, until she…Um” Husk heard his voice quiver again, new brands of tears racing to advertise themselves on his face. So it was something Vaggie did? No surprise there. 

“Come here, you’re fine Al” Husk opened his arms up to the vessel, who jumped into his offering and squeezed the feline until he could no longer feel a trembling feeling in his heart. 

Alastor dipped his head into the crook of Husk’s neck, sobbing into the fur and smelling the comfort of it instinctively. The deer felt safe in the arms of his friend, despite the risks at hand for expressing such weakness. Hell was full of risks, so the deer couldn’t care less about it. 

After a long session of cuddling and keeping the restroom occupied, he decided that the denizens waiting outside have suffered enough. He stood up straight and stood slightly taller than Husk, in a natural form rather than a mocking one, and patted down his clothes from the creases. 

An ordinary demon at the floor of Hell would worry about changing clothes. But with Alastor’s powers, he simply replaced his outfit with the same cleansed one. Besides, leaving definitely was no option to him. 

He washed his face and excused his dry tears as the tap water’s work, however he did slip the knife into his belt for security. “I suppose we ought to leave, understanding the limits of one man’s-” 

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go jackass. Let’s talk at the bar about it, then we’re both satisfied that way” Husk suggested, taking a good look at how quickly Alastor changed his appearance. Less than a minute ago, he was a comrade rotting away at pain, suffering with the ability to compose his physicality and mentality. Now, he was ready to torture the many demons who dare cross paths with him, and was ready to transform back into his up-beat character. A cartoon character re-drawn. 

“Agreed” Alastor grinned, holding the door open for his feline friend to lead the way. 

All of the cross legged men stepped a metre back from the Overlord, before Alastor gave the cue for them to enter and relax after their torture, except a collection of horrified screams escaped the tiny gap of the door before it shut, sending Alastor into a chirpy mood. 

Spontaneously, Husk was wrapped like a sandwich in Alastor’s grasp, who danced with him all the way across the floor. His paws followed Alastor’s tappy shoes, tripping a few times- a coping game for the demon, that Husk was sadly a participant in. 

In the midst of their waltz, Alastor’s head looked up to stare daggers into an individual’s wandering gaze. Husk watched the dials spin out of control to a threat he spotted, so out of curiosity, he turned around and spotted Vaggie turning around conspicuously. ‘She really did something bad…’ 

“Alas, we have arrived!” Alastor declared, applauding shortly for Husk’s dancing efforts before sliding his ass onto the stool. He ordered a large glass of scotch; the finest and most expensive there is. 

For Husk, it was the plain cheap booze he chugged back too often. 

“Tell me more Al, you’re about to lose it and you know it” Husk pointed out, taking a long sip of his booze whilst he watched Alastor settle down on his own. 

The chirpy bastard swung a leg over the other’s knee, sitting in an upright position with an arm leaning against the bar. 

“She insulted me.” 

“Is that all? Al, you get bitched on a lot of the time by her-” 

“But you know what insults me the most?” Alastor interrupted with a smug smirk. 

Husk knew Alastor was immune to all sorts of insults. The ones he gets from the least favourable Overlords, “Virgin! Old man!” The ones he gets from denizens before he dies, “Cold son of a bitch!” And obviously, the insults his friends give him, but are too harmless to hurt even a stranger, “Sure, jackass.” 

He knew Alastor got emotional about present things, rarely about the past or future. Husk knew he was going to visit his mother this weekend, and that he was going to spend time with Mimzy and Rosie. So unless- 

...Vaggie wouldn’t go that far, would she? ‘Of course she would, kids these days insult kids’ parents like it’s nothing’, but it’s surely something to Alastor. 

“She used a mamma joke on you?” 

“It’s more than a joke to me, Husker! Why should one assume insulting another one’s lovely mother would be an ineffective insult? It’s a grave insult! And should be abolished or made illegal” Alastor finished ranting, taking a deeper sip at his drink. 

The feline wasn’t all too fond of the idea either, growing compassionate for the guy for it. But the situation puzzled him; why would Vaggie even try it on him? She has a short fuse, but she knew how close Alastor and his mother were. Alastor could have swept her life off her feet and then everyone else’s, find some way to keep Charlie out of it, and carry on with his life with a lingering sense of rage. The moth was lucky, temporarily. 

“Let me teach her a lesson, it’s about time we show this generation of kids…” 

“Nonsense! I have my own, exciting methods~” 

Husk rolled his eyes. “And upset the princess? You can’t do shit to her, and you know who’s side Charlie’s always on” Husk’s wise words came out, gulping down the last of his booze. 

Soon enough, most of the guests were starting to leave the party, which meant one thing for the two: the granted permission to leave was coming into light. 

But with less guests, came a thinner barrier between two broken colleagues. One who felt guilty, and the other who gave off a chilling vibe. The two exchanged glares almost constantly, until Husk snapped his fingers irritably and settled down Alastor’s drink. 

“What did I tell ya? You’re not doing it.” 

Alastor whined half drunkenly. “The sweetheart needs to suffer, she won’t be getting off hook so easily!” 

“She ain’t! Just be rational about it, you know where to find me if things get messy. Thing is… Are you going to tell the princess?” 

The deer shook his head instantly, already making his mind up about her. “Of course not, dear! I’m offering assistance, not intaking any! I’m confident the troublemaker will walk up and confess her sins soon.” 

“Vaggie’s stubborn, like you.” 

“Precisely! So it will be a long time until this incident is brought up. Perhaps I’ll let it go of this silly idea of revenge, if no further harm is done.” The last drops of his drink slid down his throat with an empty sensation inside, desperate for more but responsible enough not to give in. 

The two left the bar once all guests had departed for home or business, leaving the two to reunite with the group. Charlie was beaming up at Alastor with a grateful look, proving that Vaggie still hasn’t told a soul about the incident, it was something Alastor was slightly appreciative of. 

“I can’t believe you did it!” Charlie exclaimed. “See, I told you it’s not so bad, now we need to fix the chemistry between Angel and… everyone.” 

“Hey! I’ve got great chemistry between ‘em, right Al~?” The spider bent down slightly beside Alastor, tempted to rub against his prince charming. 

“I’m quite doubtful of that, dear. Now, let us return to the hotel, _cher?” _Alastor linked arms with Charlie’s, the two merrily skipping out through the doors and towards their individual vehicles.__

__Vaggie huffed and puffed behind them, folding her arms across her chest as she walked alongside the others. Whilst receiving constant, cheeky smirks from the deer, Husk nudged her harshly as he passed by her._ _

__“You’re a bitch, you know that?” He insulted, before picking up the pace to reach Alastor’s car in case. Niffty was speeding up beside him, except she looked back at Vaggie with a sweet, yet confused look._ _

__“You’re no ‘bitch’, ma’am! I think he’s drank too much” Niffty reassured her, following with a harmless giggle and a naive mind._ _

__All that was left was Angel and Vaggie, tracking all the way at the back. Charlie waited at the front with Alastor, the deer staring deeply into her soul as the two finally left the building._ _

__She wished the phrase was true. Whatever happened there, stays there. Whatever crime is done, or sin, or anything that kicks you in the gut, stays there._ _

__It doesn’t._ _

__The doors locked up, Alastor left with his two close friends, but decided to tag Angel along; who turned out had walked the entire way and was going to walk back. So much for a “loyal, pimp boss.”_ _

__Vaggie stepped inside their limbo and shifted close to Charlie, relieved to feel a returning touch as they embraced in a warming hug. Neither drank, neither had the greatest of fun, but they were always safe in each other’s chests at the end of the day. Hand in hair, arm around back, dresses mingled like their tangled and everlasting bond._ _

__The moth was blessed with something she didn’t deserve, she knew that deeply, but it didn’t mean she was going to let go of her precious belonging._ _

__But if she wanted to keep Charlie around, she oathed to always be honest, always defend her, to be her trustworthy angel at all times._ _

__Even if it meant confessing a crime you didn’t intend to do in the first place._ _

__“Charlie?”_ _

__“Who else is here?” Charlie teased, Vaggie couldn’t help but crack a smile, before her confidence fluttered again._ _

__“I’m a bitch.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, if I have to admit, this chapter was really sad and emotional. For some reason I almost felt like cracking up with tears at the end, but I blame lockdown for that ha. 
> 
> I decided to just show the friendship of Alastor and Husk again (not because I'm craving for that ship ahh), but because I feel seeing Alastor's reaction is more entertaining than Vaggie trying to distract Charlie, which at the end is revealed that she never told Charlie about what happened, so I didn't want to fill the space with empty conversation. And someone responsible needed to check on Alastor, so it wasn't going to be Angel. Xd 
> 
> Thank you again for all the recognition and support! Stay tuned~. 
> 
> (If some of you don't know, I've started to post on my Twitter again for updates and all that. My twitter: https://twitter.com/Shadowman8u2)


	4. Chapter 4: A Sober Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaggie tries to avoid confronting her beloved partner about the truth. Why was it so hard to hide? 
> 
> Eventually, Charlie finds out in a peculiar way, a story told by the radio host who decided to drink Husk's whole stock of booze.
> 
> If only the phrase was true, "Whatever happens there, stays there."

The words screamed at her, a wake up call of some sort; like a teacher who spontaneously raises their voice in the midst of everyone’s day-dreaming. If the veteran cat repeated those words without the context behind it, she would easily bark back and call him an asshole. After all, he was a snappy, short fused alcoholic, who did nothing but insult his colleagues all day. 

But there was a reason behind his words. 

Their way of punishing her with death stares was now imprinted in her mind. The usual big doe eyes were narrowed with utmost anger, grin tighter than ever against his cheeks. The baring of fangs and a tail staring at her with a sharp point, threatening her. If the reason wasn’t apparent, she would have assumed they were planning another prank on her. The rats. 

But there was a reason behind their stares. 

His throat swelled up at the same time as the tears peeking out, probably out of hiding for a while; nobody even thought the Radio Demon had such emotion. If his grin didn’t falter for even the slightest of the second, the moment that stopped Vaggie in time, she would have guessed that her modern ways were hilarious to the old radio host. 

But there was a reason behind his slouched character, descending ears, the transparent heart she could see right through. It hurt him. 

Who knew? That a moth demon like her, even with a spear in hand at all times, could ever injure one of Lucifer’s greatest sinners? 

Someone had to know, the one woman who was always interested in what Vaggie had to say- even if she didn’t follow it all the time… 

It was too late. The words leaked out like drool over cake as the thought of confessing overwhelmed her, consequently making the princess frown with puzzlement. 

“I forgot to buy us some wine... “ 

Vaggie never lied to Charlie, or at least for the wrong reasons. Everytime she did lie, it was for the princess’s better good, especially when it included family or Angel’s failed attempts at redemption. 

The time Lucifer visited them for the first time in forever, arriving exactly at the hotel doors. Charlie was occupied with showering and dressing up for their family meeting, yet Vaggie was the unfortunate soul to open the door to the devil. He insisted on leaving right away, but wanted to simply deliver the message that Charlie was a disappointment, due to the hotel’s lack of activity. 

Vaggie watched him disappear back into the sky, most likely to cross Hell’s land and return back to the palace. The moth was enraged- to send your daughter into the city of sinners, watching them cause havoc and trying to maintain the city, redemption was a good way to prevent the overpopulation and escapees who seek out into the real Hellish land: where the pure demons live. 

Separated for a reason, Charlie went berserk everytime she was blamed for the ones who escaped the city. And after many attempts of making sinners forget about the whole different underworld being out there, to instead fight into a job and live casually in Hell, redemption was the way to go and have more accessible features in the city. Lowered population, less chances of leaving the city, it was something Vaggie strongly agreed with. 

But for her father to fly by, just to inform her of her little-to-no success? Protecting an entire city wasn’t an easy job, and still isn’t. To make matters worse, Lucifer implanted the idea of having Overlords to help her out, manage various aspects. 

Valentino, the one who entertained the population with one’s strong lust for another. Vox, the city’s generator- quite literally. Rosie, providing the medical care for many and giving out some intelligent input into the Overlord meetings they host. And then Alastor, the one who kills demons who simply aren’t worth the overpopulation; it sounded harsh, but Vaggie couldn’t help but appreciate it slightly. However It never changed her mind about him. 

So what did Vaggie say? “He said he couldn’t stay, but he told me to tell you that he loves you.” 

It spread the widest, the most childish, glassy eyed smile that didn’t belong to a demon, but Vaggie was glad Charlie had. If she knew the truth, however… 

Then there was another instance of lying, always in order to protect her beloved. Vaggie forced herself outside the hotel to shop for groceries, something that had been nagged for weeks by their only resident. To her surprise, that exact resident was found laying on the streets of the city: half naked, dreamy eyes staring up at the red sky, and a cracked phone to top off his shipwreck. 

She walked over, the spider looked into her direction, and the two exchanged complimenting looks; one forgiving, the other grateful. Angel dug himself into a dangerous state, still a mystery to how he reached that point, but Vaggie kept it a secret and helped him to the hotel. 

His ripped clothes would immediately set Charlie off into distrust for him, and one look at his dazed face implied dozens of bad outcomes. How did the moth cover it up? 

“Look who saved a baby from a tiger, just like a hero in the movies. But more… supernatural?” Vaggie teased, head acting as an armrest for Angel as they walked past the gawking princess, proud and beyond belief. 

“Thanks toots…” Angel thanked her, flopping down dead onto his bed. 

Vaggie sighed. “Instead of restricting your alcohol, take it as a warning this time. You look too fucked up for my nonsense anyway.” 

Angel snorted. “Ya got it, ma. I gotta repay ya someday, maybe pay a free trip to-” 

“You can act more serious about the redemption idea, got it?” 

The lies made her harsh to the rest. Brutally honest, straight to the point, cranky before and after eating. She knew the second she walked through the doors, everyone would have to tiptoe around her like stepping on eggshells; one wrong move and someone would get hurt. 

After their quick stop to buy some wine, they drove back to the hotel and parked far from Alastor’s vintage car. The son of a bitch made it back first, now she was sure to lash out. 

“Vaggie… You’re speaking Spanish again” Charlie giggled across the seat, rubbing the moth’s shoulder comfortingly. 

She didn’t realize her mind dozing off resulted in a Spanish rant, but it didn’t last long to reveal any of her thoughts. The guilt, the anxiety of walking inside the hotel and unleashing an uncalled, angry moth. 

“Let’s just drink wine and top off this night with movies and cuddling?” She offered with a gentle smile and careful touch to the princess, whilst holding her to step down from the limbo. 

“Deal, now that Alastor’s given us the night off!” 

Of course he did. 

With a sigh and a leap, they made it through the glass paned doors to greet everyone there, surprisingly. It was late, no later than midnight, yet everyone was darted across the room, minding their own business. 

Angel was on the phone to Cherry, bragging about his fancy night at the local hall and the amount of booze he chugged down, which was as much as he could afford that night. 

Alastor sat at the bar and pestered a sober Husk, who tried to calm down the slightly tipsy deer. At least tipsy enough to almost slip off his stool. 

Nifty sprawled out on the lounge’s couches, reading one of Alastor’s favourite books whilst sipping away at a mug of decaf coffee. 

On the whole, everyone was awake and ready to do more, filling the room with community energy. 

“Hun, can I wait in the room?” Vaggie asked, her tone resembling a sort of plea. 

Charlie groaned in protest, only to soften up to Vaggie’s teasing, pouting face. The princess watched her rush up the stairs and vanish into their room, slapping her thigh for forgetting to ask for her reason. 

Growing bored already, she plopped herself beside Alastor and stared up with bewilderment to the drunken deer. It didn’t make him any less dangerous, however. 

“Good evening, my charming demon belle~ What brings you down to the likes of deary Husker here?” Alastor slumped over the bar slightly, turning to stare at Charlie with double vision. “My my! You grew a twin out of your right arm?” 

“Tell him to fuck off already, I’m tired” Husk rolled his eyes, cleaning the glasses that have been cleaned already today. 

Hesitant, but willing to save Husk from this torture, she played along to manage Alastor’s attention. “Yes, and... We’re both interested in your dance with Vaggie!” 

For a reason unknown to her, Husk dropped the glass in the grasp of his paws and Alastor froze, staring down at her with a frozen grin and widened eyes. 

“I highly doubt she’s- that dance is important. But please do tell about your own mother.” 

“...Uh, Al? I didn’t mention my mother…” The perplexed princess glanced at the cat; now shaking his head frantically at her. 

“Did you not?” Alastor exploded with laughter, his microphone emitting a crowd cheering and cackling. 

“No, she didn’t Al-” 

“Oh the irony! Oh the double crossed, lazy, mistreating generation of the century!” 

Drunk Alastor was a rare opportunity to take advantage of, or at least gain answers out of. When she asked how the Overlord meetings were really like, he told her everything: how they barely talk to each other and only listen to Lucifer ramble on about demon expectations, something Alastor already studied in his own time. Then there were the occasional flirts from Vox, and the protective friend Rosie arguing with the TV. 

But this time, she didn’t have to ask for the truth. She didn’t even know what the truth was, until he spilt the secret out of the blue. 

“But y’know this, cher… You tell the gal to lock her mouth up tight the next time she talks ‘bout my mother, or I betta take her down the river.” 

The accent was different, but she already knew where Alastor lived before death. Disregarding it, she listened closely to the words and her heart dropped to the floor. 

“Vaggie did… What?” 

“Nothing, princess-” 

“Oh how she dares to insult my mother the way she did, I ought to sentence her to the eternal void! It made my blood boil, and Husker knows exactly what happens when my blood boils…” The two looked at Alastor as if he was mad, clearly having too many drinks than he should have. Did Vaggie really insult his mother? If it made Alastor this dramatic. 

“But I thought the dance went well?” Charlie frowned in question,already hearing enough from her colleague. As she left, Husk began to lecture the Radio Demon on how to seal his own lips, but the threat was thrown out of the window, as the radio host ordered a few more drinks before retiring to his own room. 

Vaggie cooled off her steam from before, raining cliche petals all over the sheets to replace the blood she could have spread instead. Still in her dress, she started to lay out their pajamas and robes to accompany the comfort of their own room, with the remote settled on the bed stand and the lights dimmed down for a romantic tone. 

Easing off both straps, the door thundered down with impatient slams of the fist. Vaggie jerked up and rushed the straps back onto her arms, throwing open the door slightly irritably. 

“What the hell-...Charlie?” Her eyes laid down on a flustered princess, but instead of the blushing from romantic tension she hoped for, she was frowning with furrowed eyebrows and staring daggers instead. 

“We need to talk” she demanded, pushing past Vaggie to pull her inside. The moth barely managed to kick the door shut from her demon’s harsh pull. 

“You think? What’s wrong with you?” Vaggie’s tone softened, anxious for the reason behind this. Did Alastor tell her? Husk even? Mad that she didn’t give an answer for leaving so soon? 

Instead of the flame she walked inside with, she gestured to the pajamas and robes whilst she started to take off her dress. Following her steps, Vaggie repeated the same gesture and pulled over her pajamas, giving a breeze to Hell’s warm breeze, but enough to cover up everything necessary. 

Charlie crawled onto the bed first, sitting in the centre and taking in a moment to admire the petals. It was the wrong time, but at the same time, adequate, being able to talk in a secluded space. 

Paranoid and ready to disappear into hiding, Vaggie again followed her movement and crawled up beside her, taking her arms into her’s and holding her dearly. 

“What’s wrong?” She repeated the question, now that the devil’s daughter steamed down from what could have been horns and flames. 

She didn’t want to do this. Ruin their night even more than it has already been; no alcohol, not enough fun at the party to make it seem like a party, more like a meet and greet with people you don’t know. It reminded her too much of the parties her father hosted, with famous demons and celebrities she never knew even existed in Hell. 

But if her partner had the audacity to lie to her, even if it was to keep peace in the hotel, Charlie didn’t feel the guilt weigh onto her shoulders like most would, her outburst into the room was called for. 

Finally, gaining the courage to ruin their night and resolve a situation that didn’t involve the princess, it was her duty to solve it. Lover between their only defense for the hotel, she couldn’t risk losing that defense; one of the most strongest Overlords in Hell protecting the hotel & its reputation? She couldn’t decline that opportunity, it was also a step closer to making her father proud. 

“Did you say something to Al?” 

She watched Vaggie swallow all sorts in her throat. Pain, bile, she could feel her partner’s heart tear in half. If it resulted in an argument, she wouldn’t allow it to ruin their own relationship, maybe the opportunity wasn’t that worth it if it meant that. 

“I’m sorry, Charlie… It just came out, like it usually does…” 

Charlie's features grew sympathetic, shaking her head in protest to her partner's claim. “That’s not true! You can hold it back, I’m proud of you anyway.” Why was she receiving optimism? It was as if she never almost tore her arm off a few moments ago. 

Vaggie sighed, knowing she should be getting hell for it. “Charlie, you shouldn’t be happy for me. I said something awful to him, I’m a bitch… Like Husk said, I’m a bitch!” She dove into the blanket, turning away with shame. Her hair spread across the bed like true moth wings, folding in defeat. 

If anything, Charlie was more annoyed at what Husk said to her rather than what she said to Alastor. Everyone knew the way Vaggie talked, how she reacts when things go wrong, and so forth. Husk too wasn’t the kindest, but he knew what would happen if he crossed- 

Charlie sighed too, finding no point in anymore battles. Instead, she lifted Vaggie back up on the bed and tucked her head against her chest; even though Vaggie couldn’t hear the same rhythmic patterns sinners had, the warmth from a pure bred demon was comforting. 

“Is that what it’s like in the mortal world?” Charlie asked quietly, thinking about it herself. If so, humans were harsher than demons. 

Vaggie nodded into Charlie’s chest, exhaling against it. “Most of the time… Yeah, it is. You do something bad, you get shit for it. I thought you die when you do something bad here, why aren’t you torturing me or something?” She teased. 

Charlie grinned. “I was about to, before I heard the news…” Vaggie frowned again, but the princess transformed it into a smile with her fingers, even if it was a little bit forced. 

“How is he? The dance wasn’t too bad, I hope what I said hasn’t gotten to him a lot…” 

It was a difficult question to answer. 

On one hand, the demon could have been drinking for the sake of the party, blending in with everyone else and at the same time, standing out. But on the other hand, he seemed even more drunk after he returned to the bar with Husk, maybe talking about the incident and drinking away the moment to forget. 

“He’s… confused. But you’d never guess what I heard~” The princess hyped up. 

“...What?” 

“His New Orleans accent! Cajun, I think.” 

“No. Way.” 

“I think it’s more funny when he’s not mad, which he was… By the way” Charlie frowned when Vaggie did. Her hopes raised, then died, raised, died, like the dance at the party. It started rough, then smooth, then rough, and lastly, fatal. 

“How can I fix this?” Vaggie puffed into her chest, cuddling the demon beyond her will. All hope was lost for the situation, all she could do now is avoid the radio host at all costs, and hope he isn’t planning to invite her as a star guest for his broadcast. 

Similarities? Little to zero, that was for sure. But based on their dance earlier, and Vaggie’s confession to how good it felt, the princess felt a sprinkle of hope for the both’s mending process. 

“You liked the dance, right Vaggie?” 

“It was fine, good to dance with a man who doesn’t want to sleep with you. Why?” 

“Tomorrow, you and Al, dance lessons first thing in the morning. And instead of Alastor going to the store alone, you can go with him!” 

“What!? That’s not how it works, sweetie!” 

But Charlie smirked, closing her eyes with a victorious smile on her face. 

“But this is Hell, not the human world. Anything works down here.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little rough in terms of quality, I was a little unmotivated today but I really wanted to put out a chapter, to progress the story. 
> 
> For a RadioHusk fanfic, I may make a few chapters rather than start off with the first, just so that there's more content out there. 
> 
> If you have any ideas for this fanfic, make sure to put them down below! But other than that, thank you for the recognition! 
> 
> Stay tuned~.

**Author's Note:**

> I want to add that this is NOT for Vaggie and Alastor being in a couple relationship, it's purely friendship. Though I do ship them, in this fanfic they will remain simply as colleagues trying to fix something. Other than that, thank you! :)


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